The present invention broadly relates to ammunition rounds or ordnance for firing weaponry and, more particularly, concerns a new and improved construction of a sabot projectile containing a projectile core and a sabot jacket.
In its more specific aspects, the sabot projectile of the present development is of the type comprising a projectile core and a sabot jacket. The sabot projectile has secured at the rear thereof a sabot tail or tail portion and at the front thereof a sabot hood member or element. The projectile core comprises three components or parts which are fabricated from different materials and the intermediate component or part of these three components or parts of the projectile core is prestressed or pre-biased by a tie or tension rod.
As disclosed in the European Patent No. 0,073,385, published Nov. 12, 1986, it is known to use a projectile core formed of tungsten for such projectiles. In particular, so-called frangible tungsten is used, the compressive strength of which is ten to twenty times greater than its tensile strength. Such a projectile core formed of tungsten with a very small elongation, which is approximately zero, cannot be fired in conventional manner out of firing weapons having a high firing rate or cadence, because there is the danger that, the projectile core already breaks or fractures when the projectile is delivered to the firing weapon. High deceleration forces arise when the projectile is delivered to the firing weapon and, particularly, when the projectile is rammed into the weapon barrel. These deceleration forces produce tensile stress in the projectile core. The projectile core can be prematurely destroyed by such tensile stress.
Furthermore, an explosive body known from the Swiss Patent No. 305,149, granted Feb. 15, 1955, possesses splitters embedded in a binding material or mass. In this explosive body, the part or component containing the splitters is at least partially in a state of compression by the action of an elastically stressed mechanical means. This part or component containing the splitters is preferably a cylinder-shaped hollow body which is likewise prestressed by a tie or tension rod. This cylinder-shaped hollow body comprises at both ends thereof two end faces or surfaces which are disposed parallel to each other and at which the tie or tension rod engages in order to produce a prestress.
It has been found that with parallel end faces or surfaces there is the danger that the cylinder-shaped hollow body breaks or fractures because of the prestress.